Advertisement

ITV Report

9 August 2012 at 6:00am

Andrew RT Davies on his past and present struggles

Andrew RT Davies has led the Welsh Tory AMs for just over a year Photo: ITV Wales News

Just over a year since the Welsh Conservatives elected him to lead their Assembly members, Andrew RT Davies has given a frank and revealing interview. Questioned by ITV Wales Political Editor Adrian Masters on tonight's 'Face to Face' programme, he makes clear his ambition to take overall charge of the Welsh party. He also explains why his parents decided to have him privately educated.

I had a real issue over reading. Most probably today I would have been classed as dyslexic. I would look at note, a board or something and could not make head nor tail of the written word.

– Welsh Conservative Assembly leader Andrew RT Davies AM

Perhaps because of that childhood struggle, Mr Davies is clearly a determined man, who became the official leader of the opposition in the Senedd just four years after he was first elected as an AM. But the Conservatives still deny him the authority of being its overall Welsh leader, on the grounds that the party organisation is led by David Cameron. Mr Davies describes his frustration at the cancellation of the Welsh Conservative annual conference. When he objected, he was outvoted by the other members of the party's Welsh board.

That conference would not have been cancelled if I was leader. I am categorical about that and I was very disappointed that it was cancelled.

When the conference in Llandudno was cancelled earlier this year, Andrew RT Davies publicly defended the decision, made because of the cost of providing security for an event attended by the Prime Minister. He was subsequently mocked by the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, when the Welsh Conservatives held a one day rally instead. It was held on the same weekend as the Scottish Conservatives went ahead with their conference, which was addressed by David Cameron.